Refrigerator tray



March 23, 1937. c. M. HARTMAN 2,074,546

REFRIGERATOR TRAY Filed Nov. 23, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet l \hvem or ATTomegg March 23, 1937. c. MQHARTMAN REFRIGERATOR TRAY Filed Nov. 23, 1935 2Sheets-Sheet 2 tente Mar. 23, 1 93? REFRIGERATOR TRAY Charles M.Hartman, Grand Rapids, Mich, al-

signor of forty per cent to E. M. Jenkins, Grand Rapids, Mich.

Application November 23, 1935, Serial No. 51,196

3 Claims. (01. 312-184).

This invention relates generally to a swinging shelf and'moreparticularly to-the application of the swinging shelf to a refrigeratoror the like.

Briefly described, the shelf is plvotally mounted within the storagespace of a refrigerator, the

pivot of the shelf. and the pivot of the swinging door for the storagespace being parallel and rather closely-adjacent.

One of the main advantages of myinvention .0 lies in the fact that notonly may the swinging shelf support its full share of'articles thereonto a maximum depth but its removal from the storage space permits theshelf therebelow to carry articles to a maximum depth thereon. Inotherwords, the fact that the swinging shelf is moved outwardly, renders itaccessible whereby it may be fully loaded with articles and provisionsof any desired kind. Also, the shelf or space immediately below theswinging shelf is readily accessible through the space formerlyoccupied. by the swinging shelf. p

Another feature is the arcuate shape of the end of the swinging shelfwhereby it will expediently swing through the door opening and thisprovides, when the shelf is in its inner position,

with a space between the arcuate edge and the sideof the refrigerator,-whereby tall articles may be accommodated. For instance, bottles of milkmay be positioned in this space.

Another feature is the specific construction of the shelf itself. Theshelf is inventively formed of a number of wire units which render itvery stout and sturdy. Also the two pivots of the shelf are verticallyalined whereby strength of the pivotal support is secured. Also, theshelf is formed with a guard rail extending entirely therearound.Furthermore, the wire members adjacent theupper pivot of the shelf serveas a bandle for the shelf and pressure upon these members, more or lessaccidentally as oscillationis aused, does not cause any great effectupon the bearing proper, inasmuch as the same are relatively close tothe pivot of the shelf and the leverage is minimized.

Another advantage resides in the automatic camming device whereby theshelf is supported at its inner side when it is retained in its innerposition.

Other advantages will become apparent as the description proceeds.

In the drawings: Fig. 1 is a front view of a refrigerator equipped withmy novel swinging shelf, the door being 55 deleted.

21, joining onto the member 30 Fig. 2 is a sectional view through Fig.1, this view being taken on the line 2 -2 of Fig. 1-.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged front view of the shelf, the inner lining of therefrigerator being shown in section.

Fig. 41s an end view of the swinging shelf.

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the well.

Fig. 6 is an enlarged sectional view of the construction shown attheright-hand side of Fig. 4.

Fig. 'l is a sectional view taken along the line l-'l of Fig.4. I 1

Fig. 8 is a perspective view of one of the hinge members for theshelf.

Like numerals refer to like parts throughout the several views.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 2, numeral l0 indi-v cates the container orrefrigerator proper, It the door therefor, pivoted at [2 ,and IS therefrigerating unit. Shelves M are located within the storage space ofthe refrigerator as shown in Fig. 1.

Referring now to Fig. 5, numeral l5 indicates a'rectan'gular frameformed of wire, this frame having a plurality of spaced parallelelements II and cross bars I! whereby a supporting grid surface issecured. Corner braces 18 are positioned as shown and the severalelements described are welded in position. A bearing construction,having a journal I! and a. plate 20therefor, has L- shaped clipsattached thereto, the frame l5 extending underneath and being fastenedto the clips. The journal I9 is received in a bearing support (see Fig.8)- which is attached to the inner lining 22 of the refrigerator as at23. See Fig. 2. The far end of the frame I! is concentrically formedabout the journal l9.

A wire element 25 of substantially U'-shape, is welded at 20 to a wireelement 30 and then continues along above one side of the frame l5 thenalong above the curved end of the frame l5 and terminates in theupwardly extending portion as clearly shown in Fig. 5 of the drawings.

The member 30, welded at 26 as aforesaid, has

its adjacent end located between member 25 and frame l5. Its other endis simllarlypositioned and itsbight supports a second bearingconstruction having journal IS in bearing support 2|. An L-shapedelement 3| is welded to member 30 opposite the weld 26 and its other endis similarly attached at 32. Uprights 33 extend upwardly from the frameI 5 as shown.

Referring to Fig. 6, 35 is a bracket attached at 38 to the support 22. Acam surface 31 is provided for sliding contact with the underside of theframe l5, see Fig. 4, whereby a supporting 5 ment.

Operation The door i I is first swung open and then the swinging shelfconstruction is moved outwardly about its vertical axis, the twojournals it, by

pulling movement. The adjacent portions of the frame elements 21 and 30may serve as a handle for this movement.

After the swinging shelf is rotated outwardly,

more or less to the dotted line showing of Fig. 2,

the same is accessible from above and can be loaded over its full areato a maximum depth. And then, whenever desired, any chosen one of thestored foods or articles can be individually removed quickly andexpediently from the shelf by oscillatory movement thereof. The membersand 3i form a guard rail for the articles. Of course, if desired, thestored articles may be stored and removed without movement of the 25shelf.

Additionally, the shelf below the swinging shelf may be utilized to afull area and to a full depth inasmuch as the space thereabove thestoring space is accessible for removing and replacing foods wheneverthe swinging shelf is swung outwardly. Thus the swinging shelf serves atleast two novel and useful functions. a

Furthermore, the shelf may be released from its pivotal mounting by aslight upward movement and then bodily removed as desired.

Having thus revealed the invention, I claim as new and desire to securethe following combinations and elements, or equivalents thereof, byLetters Patent of the United States.

0 I claim:

1. A pivotally mounted shelf of the class described, comprising, asubstantially rectangular frame formedof a single rod of material, bentto rectangular form, a second rod of substantially in parallelism alongthe upwardly to its terminal, a third extending in aovasee parallelismand adjacent to the last mentioned portion of the second rod and thenextending downwardly to the initial end of the second mentioned rod andbeing welded thereto and a bearing located at the side of the thirdmentioned rod and adjacent the terminal end of the second mentioned rodand a second bearing located on the frame immediately below the firstbearing for the purpose described.

2. In a refrigerator construction having a plurality of shelves thecombination of a pivotally mounted refrigerator shelf comprising, alower substantially rectangular frame formed of rod means bent torectangular form, a guard rail construction including a second frame ofsimilar dimensions and vertically positioned uprights rigidly attachedbetween the two frames to maintain them in spaced relationship, abearing located on one corner of the said combined frame construction, asecond bearing and means for rigidly mounting the second bearing on saidcombined frame construction at a point directly above the first bearingand at a distance therefrom which is only slightly less than thevertical distance between the several refrigerator shelves, saidmounting means being located relatively close (with respect to thelength of the shelf) to the axis of oscillation of the shelf wherebyaccess to the space above the shelf is expediently had.

3. In a refrigerator construction having a plurality of shelves thecombination of, a pivotally mounted refrigerator shelf comprising, alower substantially rectangular frame of perforate construction, abearing construction including a journal mounted at one corner of theframe, a second bearing construction including a journal, one elongatedmember fastened to said last men tioned journal and extending downwardlytoward the end of said frame and being welded thereto, a secondelongated member fastened to said journal and extending downwardly to anintermediate point of the adjacent longer side of the said frame andfastened thereto and a third elongated member rigidly attached to anintermediate portion of the second elongated member and extending to theadjacent longer side of the frame for the purpose described.

CHARLES M. HAR'I'MAN.

